Wild Horses
by AnnaMadeLemonade
Summary: Alec has had enough of Max & her hateful words. He leaves TC & he runs into Ella, an Amazon from the past and falls in love. They go to TC where they are confronted with Max and her new feelings for him & Ella & the Amazon’s new role in the fight.
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
How the Familiars came to be.  
  
In many cultures of the past males were the chosen ones. They were considered superior in every way. In India, China and various other countries daughters were belittled, cast out or killed. Further back in time it was not always so. With Mother Natures' chosen ones the Amazon's, this was certainly not the case. Sworn to protect the Earth and her inhabitant's, the Amazon's soon discovered that the other children were weak, small-minded, insensitive, and greedy, they stole from Mother Nature and were slowly but surely bringing about her ruination. The Amazons distanced themselves from those they were to watch over, coming out only when the Earth called to them to save her or in times of dire need. The worst of these other children were men. In all their dealings with men, these great Amazonian Warriors' found them to be immoral, obtuse, deceitful, and almost worthless. The only thing they were good for, if that was to continue the great Amazon race. Certain warriors were asked to volunteer to sacrifice themselves to be tainted by a man's touch.  
  
Every year or so these women would leave their isolated villages to go out into 'civilization' and try to find worthy mates. These men were great men in the civilized world. They were brilliant leaders and thinkers who were also renowned fighters, for to be finally chosen as a mate by the daughter of Earth these men had to win in hand to hand combat 2 out of three times. Many men failed but for those skilled few, even lucky men, they got to spend 3 of the most glorious nights they would ever experience with these mysterious, beautiful, and incomparable women. On the third night, while the men were asleep, the Amazon Warriors would disappear into the night to go back home, having completed their duty. If all went well, nine months later, they would be rewarded. To give birth to a perfect daughter would make it all worth it. Their time out in the world, searching for the best possible man out there, and then copulating with this man, all of this would be justified. If these Amazon's were to have a son, the son would be 'given' to the nearest villagers to raise. And a few weeks later, these women would have to go back out again because; sons were inferior in every way to an Amazon. What the Amazon's did not realize was that the powers that were in full strength in a daughter were present in their sons as well. Though not to the same extent, these forgotten sons were all gifted.  
  
In time these babies found on the villagers doorsteps grew up to be powerful men. The villagers however grew wary of them and were determined to find out where these strong, almost, magical babies came from. This was uncovered later on by the 'Magical Men'. Who banded together to look deep into the forest to find out from where or whom they had come. They came upon one of the many secluded Amazon villages and were attacked by their very own mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and aunts. In shock, and wounded the abandoned sons of the Amazons returned home.  
  
Offended and hurt that their own people, their family didn't want them because of their gender the strongest of the sons united and started a war against the Amazons. They called themselves Familiars. To never again be forgotten, to remind their mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunts that though they were born male, that they too, were the children of Mother Nature. They believed that they were born to be strong, and lead the human race. Not to hide in the forest like cowards. With that decided the Familiars decided to fight to get their heritage back.  
  
The two groups fought viciously resulting in many fatalities, until the Familiars decided to keep instead of kill the women. These women were used to breed what the Familiars now called the Pure Ones. For some reason the first and second sons of these matings resulted in average children, with no Amazon gifts at all. They shortly found out that the third sons were the ones. After that all first and second sons were killed off in order to preserve the limited gifts they were left with. As the Familiars grew stronger the Amazons became a hunted group. With their numbers rapidly dwindling they were forced into hiding. The Amazons disbanded into smaller groups to hide out in the world they were sworn to protect but were reticent to join. These Amazons blended into the world's societies while keeping true to their Mother. They created lives for themselves, even befriending the other children. Until the year 1999 when the last group of Amazonian women were accidentally found by Dr. Sandeman; himself a Familiar, and almost wiped out by his young son, Ames and their fellow Familiars  
  
Unknown to Ames a hundred young women were saved by the Queen and her unlikely ally Dr. Sandeman. To atone for his son and his people he gathered a hundred of the young women who survived the massacre including the Queen's two daughters to what is now called Brazil, once the Amazons beloved home to be cryogenically frozen. In other parts of the world the fight continued and with the Queen's last breath Sandeman vowed to her that while they slept he would build them a new race to help them avenge their people and finally take down the Familiars. And he did.  
  
He made the Transgenics with all of the Amazon's gifts and the extra features of incredible speed and enhanced eyesight & hearing to recompense the Amazon's ability to tap into the earth and utilize Mother Nature's power. All Amazons were great fighters and healers. Though the Transgenics were Herculean in strength, the Amazons ten times more so. While Transgenics had incredible speed and enhanced eyesight & hearing, Amazons had the ability to disappear and appear else where on command. Later in the future the X-5s were glorified and considered the monarchs of Manticore but they could never reach or comprehend the powers the Amazon royalty wielded. The Queen and Princess' had the ability to control weather, help things grow, and to connect with animals and the other children. Their capabilities were extraordinary, their full potential yet to be revealed in full. These Amazon's were the little Princesses' of Mother Nature and the Transgenics' their companions as the protector of the Earth and its life.  
  
Twenty years later a dying Sandeman wakes the sleeping Amazons. So far, everything had gone wrong. The government had taken over his Transgenics and were using them for military purposes, forced to go on the run he had returned to Brazil to awaken the Amazons. They decided that the Queen's daughters Faith, Ella and their war chief and advisor, Sarah would travel to Seattle while the rest would follow later in small groups to reunite once they were sure that the Transgenics would be helpful to their war. The three young girls and the old dying man travel back to the broke United States hindered by many obstacles not the least Sandeman's illness. They end up in California where they run into some very young Transgenics; Dr. Sandeman's health takes a turn for the worse. Forcing them to remain there so he can rest, the three young women struggle to catch up to this new world.  
  
Meanwhile Alec and Max fight viciously, Alec pushed beyond his limits leaves TC, Max and her hateful words behind. After roaming endlessly he ends up in California. Feeling lost and very desolate, he runs into this girl and her two sisters. Their names are Ella, Faith, and Sarah. It is here that Ella; the youngest Amazon princess meets Alec and falls in love. Their beginning is so easy and care free that it's just too good to be true and it is. Slowly Ella reveals her heritage and their life's duty and Alec, finally finding a true life mission, chooses to be her companion. Dr. Sandeman dies soon after the revealing and the group decides to go to TC. There Alec is confronted with Max and her feelings for him whilst Ella and the other Amazon's make themselves and the new roles they are to play in their lives known to the Transgenics. 


	2. Chapter One

Wild Horses (Temp. Title)  
   
STATUS: Incomplete  
   
CATEGORY: Drama/Romance  
   
RATING: R  
   
CONTENT WARNING: This story contains strong language and sexual situations  
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SUMMARY: Alec has left TC, Max and her painful, hateful, words to go to California. There he meets Ella Renaldo, a girl with close ties to Sandeman and a great destiny of her own. They fall in love and move back to TC to help the Transgenic cause, back to Max who's been waiting for Alec to come back to finish some unfinished business.  
   
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I had this idea in my head for a while and I tried to talk people into writing it for me because as you will soon see I don't write very well, but everyone else has their own thing and the darn idea won't leave me alone. So I'm hoping that by finally writing it down it will leave me in peace. A form of exorcism, you might say. Anyhow, this is a long and complicated thing and I hope I can do it justice so that you'll get the full experience of this story that's bouncing along in my head. If you don't please don't hesitate to tell me. It starts in the middle where things are a little troubled and angst-y. Then it'll move through and give you their past, which leads back to the middle and then their future.  
   
DISCLAIMER: The characters of "Dark Angel" do not belong to me.  
   
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Chapter 1  
   
He closed his eyes as he felt the amber liquid burn down his throat. If he tried hard enough he could pretend that none of the last 24 hours happened. Because that's all it had taken 24 hours for his whole world to come crashing down around his ears. Of course the fact that 6 of those hours were spent in ecstasy was highly irrelevant. He knew he shouldn't have done it but those damn pheromones had made it impossible for him to think straight. He quickly opened his eyes as the images of the last 24 hours flashed before his eyes. Damn pheromones! He took another big swallow of the almost empty glass of scotch in his hand. Damn Manticore! Damn her! Damn them both, and damn them all. Because of their actions everything he'd worked so hard for, over the past year was blown to smithereens. The cause was now back where it started, he'd lost his new family, and worst of all he'd just lost his only chance at true love. True love. He quickly finished the contents of the glass in his hand and sent it hurling against the wall of the only home he'd ever known. As it shattered into a million pieces he remembered the anguished look on her face. Shock and horror showing clearly in her sweet brown eyes. He closed his eyes and tried to remember when those eyes had looked at him with love and with pride. She'd believed in him so much made him feel so smart, so powerful, an unstoppable force that could take on the world if he had to. He'd never felt so complete and so whole as he did when he was around her. It both scared and exhilarated him. And now, well now he was back to being Alec, the troublemaker, and a big mistake.  
   
He took a deep breath. God, he could still smell her. Her scent was so delicate yet very distinct. It reminded him of soft sandy beaches and warm blue waters, the exact opposite of Seattle. The smell was so like her. So refreshing, clean, and whole. And he so wanted to be like her, to be untarnished and worthy. He slowly let his breath out. And worse, he could hear her. Hear her telling him she loved him oceans deep and mountains high. His casual reply of "that's all?" made him wince. With her arms still wrapped around his neck and his arms around her small waist, she'd reached up on tiptoes, kissed his lips softly and replied, "I love you with all my heart and with every fiber of my being, then. Is that much better, mister greedy?" If only that were true now. He took another deep breath of her scent that lingered as if by inhaling her in it would make the pain stop. As he exhaled a razor-sharp pain gripped him once again.   
   
He could feel the touch of her warm hand on his cheek, stroking it. When nothing was going right he would go to her and she would touch him, murmur her love for him and all would be better. There were times when he would be in a huge rage over a mission gone wrong or someone at command messing up, he would take a break to search her out to keep from pummeling someone into a bloody pulp. People would quickly get out of his way and those who knew him would run ahead to get her. She would shake her head, sometimes smile and hold him to her and all would be right with the world again. But this time it was them that had gone wrong. He closed his eyes trying to ward the bittersweet memories away. His hand reaching around for the half full bottle of scotch near the chair he was sprawled in. He found the bottle near the foot of his chair and quickly took another swig, and another, and another, finally finishing the whole contents of the bottle. Finding it empty so quickly, it joined the empty glass on the floor as it too shattered against the wall.  
   
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Brandon was startled out of his sleep. He opened his eyes to see if there was anything out of the ordinary in his room. He looked around and noticed everything was where it should be and no one but him was in it, but he could tell that something was wrong. His eyes swung to his nightstand to the little Batman and Robin clock she insisted he have and finally zeroed in on the note. He stared at it for a couple of minutes, the dread growing in the pit of his stomach. Finally he pushed himself off the bed, swung his legs around and sat up. He recognized the handwriting. He reached out a hand and grabbed the note slowly opening it to reveal its contents. He shook his head in denial and re read it. With the letter clenched tightly in his hand, he ran towards the door. He ran through the hallway passing some startled transgenics along the way, not breaking his stride he continued on up the dilapidated stairwell. As he rushed up the stairs a million things ran through his mind. "This isn't happening" was the most prevalent and was soon his mantra. She was just kidding. It was probably a sneaky trick to get him to come up to their apartment so they could surprise him for his birthday or something. Except it wasn't his birthday, and it wasn't 'her' to write this kind of letter as a joke even for a good cause. His heart missed a beat and he almost collapsed. He kept on going. She would open the door and hold him in her arms. She would then say he was silly and promise to beat the living day lights out of the creep who dared trick her Brandon. Then they'd snuggle on the couch until Alec woke up or until his little belly would grumble and make breakfast. Feeling a bit better he finally reached his desired location and came to a halt. The door looked innocent enough. He slowly stepped up to it. He reached his hand, palm up to the door and felt it. With his enhanced hearing he heard something smash against the wall and he knew. He closed his eyes and softly laid his cheek against the door. The rumpled piece of paper floated out of his loose grasp, forgotten on the floor. She'd left him.  
   
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He heard a soft noise at the door and before his brain could reason out the improbability of it, his heart hoped and he blurred to the door and yanked it open. And he found instead a small boy still in his pajamas, crying softly into his fists. He closed his eyes and bent down to pick up the child. Brandon struggled out of Alec's grasp and he let him down. "Why?" the lost, sad little boy asked. Alec ushered the boy in, settled into his chair and waited for Brandon to sit opposite him on the couch. He sighed. Not really ready to talk to anyone about it when he himself had yet to come to grips with it. He focused on anything but the boy in front of him and said, "I messed up, Brandon. Real bad."  
The boy frowned, "How? How can you mess up with her? She's so sweet and forgiving. There isn't anything she can't forgive you. She always forgives you."  
"Well, this time what I did was unforgivable and…."  
"Tell her you're sorry and get her back! You have to!"  
"I…I can't. She's gone for good and no amount of begging will make her come back."  
Brandon leaped from his seat, barely restraining himself from jumping Alec. "What did you do?! What did you do?! Tell me! What did you do?!"  
   
Alec finally looked into the boy's wild eyes. 'See', Alec thought, 'You aren't the only one she left. She left him, too.' Brandon looked so small and so young in the little pajamas she had gotten Alec to buy for him. Another innocent who, because of him would suffer pain that they had never imagined. 'It's all her fault,' Alec desperately reasoned in his chaotic mind as Brandon started to cry. The boy mashed his fists into his eyes as he looked up at Alec and tried to stem the flow of tears. Alec looked away; the heavy weight of more guilt causing him to slump further into the seat. He looked at the boy who was demanding answers Alec was pained to give. He opened his mouth and slowly closed it again as the thought of what he'd done to her flashed through his mind.  
   
Flashback  
He was feverishly pounding into her, loosing himself in the mindless pleasure of it all. He heard her strangled gasps and moans beneath him. He kept at it until she screamed his name and he, too, let go to join her in the sweet release. He barely had time to recover his breath when the reality of what he had done, what they had done hit him. At the same moment the door opened and the light came on. "No," he gasped. He turned around and all he could hear was the blood roaring in his ears as he looked at her standing in the doorway trying to deny her standing there, taking in the painful scene. "I …I was looking for Dix and they said that he would be in here. Why he would be here in your office I have no idea, but…" she wildly babbled. She then met his eyes and time stopped just for a moment and in that moment Alec knew that his life was over. A soft cry of realization escaped from her lips when the panic settled in, and the world continued revolving. She spun around quickly running away from him, away from his betrayal. " No! Wait!" he called out as he tried to untangle himself from his bed partner. "Alec!" his partner in crime screamed but he didn't hear her. He swiftly put on his pants and ran after her.   
   
The cement cut into his feet as he ran frenetically; not able to feel the pain for the fear inside was spreading like wild fire and overloading all his nerve endings. He caught up to her in front of their apartment building. Her long, dark hair flew behind her like a cape as she ran away from the pain, away from him. She stumbled slightly as the tears streamed down her face making it impossible to see. Alec saw her stumble when he caught up to her. He blurred the last distance, grabbed her and pulled her to a stop. She turned around and a sharp pain exploded in his head. Another blow quickly followed before he finally was able to restrain her. He held her tight against him until she stopped struggling. Then she just leaned into him and was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms. He held her tight and made soothing noises to calm her down. He picked her up, nestled her against his chest and carried her into the building and walked up the stairs into their apartment. It was still twilight and no one was around to witness the beginning of the end of their true love.  
  
 End Of Flashback  
   
Alec snapped out of his painful thoughts when Brandon pulled his hand back and let his fist fly, connecting with Alec's jaw. "What. Did. You. Do!" Brandon screamed. Alec brought a hand up to his throbbing lip and found blood on his hand when he looked down at it. "Tell me! What did you do to her!" Alec looked up into Brandon's tear stained face and realized he, too, had tears streaking down his face. "I…She found me in heat with Max…"  
   
The boy screamed "No!" and jumped at Alec, fists pummeling the older man. "I hate you! I hate you! I. HATE. YOU!" Alec took the abuse in fact he welcomed it. He needed it to feel human again because he deserved it. Brandon stopped when he realized Alec wasn't fighting him. He quickly jumped away from Alec and stormed towards the door. As he arrived at the door, he turned and looked back at Alec. "I'm sorry, Alec. I shouldn't have hit you even though you deserve it but Ella taught me better. And when she comes back I don't want her getting mad at me for hitting you. Because even though you…you did that to her she'll be back. I know this. She loves you; She loves me, and all of the others. We are a family. She said so. Nothing will keep her away from us." With that, he turned back. He didn't notice Alec flinch at the sound of her name, didn't see the older man's strangled look. Brandon squared his shoulders and walked outside, quietly shutting the door behind him.   
   
Alec looked in the direction of the door. He shook his head and tried to clear another vision of when Ella left. He refocused on the door and the echo of Brandon's innocent words. He wanted to believe him. He wanted to grab the boy, hold him tight and believe that Ella would walk back through that door and somehow forgive him. But who was he to believe? He was just a screwed up, broken soldier. An animal with no heart and no soul. Who was he to believe? Not her. He knew she did. But not anymore he and Max made sure of that. The girl who believed in the goodness of all things finally realized he wasn't worth her love anymore and had walked out the door and out of his life.   
   
Flashback  
He carried her to their apartment and laid her down on the bed, he stood still at the foot of their bed watching her as she curled up into a ball and cried into his pillow. He couldn't move, not knowing what to do. Knowing that one wrong move would make her disappear before he could, before he could... Alec tried to swallow the rising panic that was lodged in his throat. Her crying finally ceased and she sat up. She brushed her tangled hair out of her face and turned to look at him. Her bright eyes dulling and her olive complexion getting paler by the moment as she relived his indiscretion. Alec felt himself die a little at a time, as her eyes started to get that far away look, the look of her remembering. He felt himself trying to breathe and at his forced exhale she started and looked at him again. They stared at each other speaking with their eyes. Him begging for understanding and forgiveness, while she tried to, she tried to understand but all she kept seeing was her lover making love to someone else. The someone else, who he used to be in love with, was still in love with, and the same someone who kept trying to steal Alec away from her, well tonight she'd succeeded.  
   
"How many times did I ask you, Alec?" She finally whispered. "How many times did I ask you if you were sure you loved me? Because after what I just saw, it seems you've been lying to me" "I DO love you! And only you! That....that was just heat! It...it couldn't be helped...,"Alec trailed off. Ella looked at him as if he'd sprouted another head. "Couldn't be helped!? I've been living here with you; surrounded by transgenics who go into heat all the time for the past 6 months and they seem to get through it with out a scratching partner." She looked at Alec expectantly. "I told you she was after you and you told me I was just imagining things." She stood up and walked closer to where he stood. "You lied to me. You still loved her, wanted her and she knew this. Which is why when she went into heat she came looking for you knowing you wouldn't resist." Alec's lips parted to deny this but for the life of him he couldn't. He couldn't because it was true. Not all of it, but there was truth in there. He did love Max; a part of him always would because she was his first love. Rachel not really counting as she was in love with Simon. But as Alec and X5-494, Max was his proverbial first time young love. He was different now the year he'd spent with Ella had changed him. He was no longer that Alec, the Alec who stood back and let his love for Max dictate his every move. Now he was his own man, all grown up and happy with himself, with his life, and with his mate. Yes, he loved Max but as Max was fond of saying, 'not like that.'  
   
As for knowing Max wanted him that was crazy. They bantered and flirted but only because their friendship was that of an old familiar one. Max was in the past and he knew that his future lay with Ella. So that night when she came into his office he was in total shock. She was already at the full height of her heat and couldn't resist. Not when the complementing DNA in him compelled him to take her as his mate. He tried to resist but her pheromones were making it hard to think at all. He barely remembered Ella's name when Max pounced on him. She devoured him and it was like his old dreams come true. For a while all the pain he went through, before he left TC and found Ella, came back but this time his feelings were being put to right as Max kissed him with all the passion she was capable of. It was like he was transported back in time and he was the Alec before Ella, the Alec who was starving for Max's love and this time he was getting it. What surprised Alec was the strength of his reaction to Max. He really thought he was over and done with, with her.   
   
Ella took in his silence and closed her eyes. She turned away from him and headed for their make shift closet. She hurriedly took out her clothes and packed them into a duffle bag. Alec still stood by the foot of the bed shocked by the realization that he really wasn't over Max and that he'd wronged Ella. He watched as she started to pack and silently left the room to take a seat outside unable to stay standing there any longer. She heard him leave and she paused to look back over her shoulder willing him to deny it. But there was nothing, just silence. Soon all her belongs were secured in two blue duffle bags. With a bag in each arm she walked out of their bedroom to stand in the hallway. Alec looked up and they stared at each other for a moment. He tried to speak, even move his lips a little but in the end it was she who spoke. "I want you to know that I don't blame you. You were made to for each other, after all. I just wish, I just wish...," she stopped to take a ragged breath, "Good bye, Alec. I guess I should thank Max for letting this happen now rather than later. Imagine if we were married, by my people's laws you'd both be dead." She tried to smile but didn't quite make it instead she rushed towards the door and slipped out closing the door quietly behind her. And Alec looked on.   
  
End Of Flashback 


	3. Chapter 2

Wild Horses Chapter 2  
  
"Hey, Man. The X-8's are looking for Ella. Class should have started half and hour ago." "I don't know where she is. Go check her place." Mole replied over his shoulder. "I did. I knocked on their door several times but no one answered." Gem exclaimed. Mole turned around with a wicked grin on his face and said, "Maybe they're busy and didn't hear you." Gem rolled her eyes and exhaled, "I couldn't hear ANY-THING. No one was there." Moles' face dropped and turned back around to the radio he was trying to fix, "then I can't help you. Go ask Brandon." "I can't find him either. I can't find Ella, I can't find Brandon, and Alec's no where to be seen." "Well, try harder. Max's order's No one can leave TC unless it's for a mission to get intel or supplies." "Pssh! Alec has authority to do whatever he wants and if you haven't noticed Ella and Max really don't see eye-to-eye so Ella does what ever she wants as well. As for Brandon, well, he's like Ella's little boy so, where she goes, he goes, too." "So, what do you want me to do about that?" "I want you to help me find Ella! Her class should have started half an hour ago and there are 15 X-8's who want to know what they got on their pop quiz last week. Apparently, the kid with the highest score gets to have dinner with her and Alec....Mole!" "What? You're still here?" "Mole, I swear one day I'll smack you!" "He he. You can try." Gem let out a frustrated yell and stalked out of the room. Mole smiled, took out a walkie talkie from under the table and pressed a button. "Luke, you know where Ella is,? She's late for class and there are 15 X-8's running wild in her class room, over." A pause and then a fuzzy buzz, "I can check TC surveillance and see if I can locate her, over, "Luke replied. "Thanks man. Oh, and if you see Gem tell her to relax already, over." "Will do, Mole. Over and Out."  
  
Gem let out an exasperated sigh and turned to go down to the classrooms. Maybe while she was asking for Mole's help, Ella made it to her class. With that to cling to Gem picked up speed. She was in such a hurry that she ran smack into Luke. "Oh! Sorry!" "Hi, Gem. It's okay. I was just looking for you. I found Ella coming back into TC from the West gate and she's on her way to class so…as Mole said, 'Relax already.'" Gem smiled in relief and then scowled at the end message. "One of these days I'm gonna....., hey! You said Ella was coming back into TC?" "Yup, and so was Max. Both left late Friday night and just came back right now." "They left together?" "Hehe, no. Ella left and came through the West Gate and Max snuck out the North. It looks like Mole's gonna have to chew out the guards of those gate's today." Gem grimaced and shook her head in pity for the poor guards. "Well, it's not entirely their fault. When those two want to disappear they just do." "And Alec." "Yeah, him, too. Hey, I don't suppose you found Alec on the cameras, did you?" "Nope. Wasn't aware he was missing. Though seeing Ella alone was kind of weird. You usually don't see one with out the other," Luke said thoughtfully. "You don't think something's wrong, do you?" Gem said, worried. "Those two? Never. Those two love each other so much its kind of sick." Gem nodded, agreeing with the nomaly's words. "Well Luke, it was nice running into you. Thanks for the news and if you see Mole tell him he better watch it. Hope's teething and I might just set her loose, to gnaw on him!" Luke laughed at the funny empty threat and the picture in his head of a little cute baby on Mole's shoulders gnawing on the nomaly's ear. Gem laughed as well and set off at a trot to go check on Ella and the kids to make sure everything was alright. And then off to find another teething ring for Hope as she had torn the other one to shreds.   
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"Hello Class. Sorry I'm late." She paused and looked around at her happy students. Her lips quivered for a bit and their smiles dimmed. She forced her face to look calm and continued. "I had some good and bad news." Ella looked at her students solemnly. "You all know that my sister has gone back to Brazil to see if she could find anymore of our people." Her ever attentive students nodded. "I have received word that she has indeed found more of my Amazonian sisters but I need to leave TC and go get them." Jeremy, Brandon's best friend eagerly raised his hand. "Yes, Jeremy?" "How long will you be gone and who won the pop quiz?" The energetic kid rushed out. "I really have no idea how long I'll be gone which is why I've decided that even though you won the pop quiz, we'll be meeting here for a class party at lunch. I hope you don't mind." Jeremy clearly did mind. He had studied his butt off but he shrugged it off as her earlier words sunk in. "So, this is our last day of school?" He blurted out without raising his hand and waiting to be called on. The rest of the class gasped. Ella looked away out the window and then slowly turned around to face the shocked expressions of her beloved pupils. "My people need me." "We need you too," a soft spoken little girl who sat in front of Jeremy spoke out. "I'll speak with Gem and see about getting you a replacement teacher." "We don't want a new teacher! We want you!" Another cute transgenic boy cried out. They were so innocent looking. Wanting to be real kids instead of the soldiers they were and she so badly wanted to give them a bit of that. "I'm sorry, class." She walked away from the front of her desk to sit behind it. And took out a stack of graded papers, seeing Brandon's name on it she took a deep breath. "Has anyone seen Brandon?" "Not since yesterday morning." Jeremy replied. "He looked kind of bummed." Ella nodded and called up Arty, another casualty of Max's love for naming people. Arty was just like Joshua, obsessed with painting. If you wanted to find the little X-8 all you had to do was follow the scent of paint and turpentine and you'd get a cute; paint covered little black boy. "Can you pass back everyone's papers?" Arty nodded and proceeded to do just that. "I know this is all so sudden." She paused willing them to understand. Instead she was met with 14 gloomy faces. "I have to prepare for my trip so I think we'll end class for now and meet up again here for lunch at noon." The kids gaped and waited for Arty to give them back their quizzes. When all the papers were passed out they got up and walked out mumbling about the unfairness of it all. Ella was THEIR teacher, darn it. Why couldn't her sister take care of everything else? Her sister, after all was the Queen of the Amazons. You'd think she could do this herself!  
  
Ella collapsed into her chair as the last of her students walked out, giving her a hurt puppy-dog look over his shoulder. Ella took another deep breath. She'd been doing that a lot but she had to. She vowed that she had cried her last tear over Alec the night before. Her body still ached from the racking sobs that had over taken her as she'd settled into her hotel room after leaving Alec and TC.   
  
Flashback  
It had been a bit hard getting past the guards what with two duffle bags but she had made it. Walking the 10 blocks to the nearest hotel was hard as well as she had forgotten her coat in her haste to leave and would have almost frozen if not for the heat of anger and pain radiating from with in. The hotel clerk had tried to make a pass at her but was stopped short when she looked him in the eye. For a moment there he felt her pain and was rendered speechless by what he saw in her eyes. He had nodded slowly and got a bell boy to take her bags and escort her to the best room they had to offer. Not once did she leave her room. The only times Ella even moved from the bed was when she had to call her sister and Queen of her people to let her know where she was and to receive her sister's good news. The other time was to answer the door because the bell hop and hotel clerk were worried about her and had sent her room service. Other than those times she lay in bed and replayed her last hours at TC and planned her next step. Her thoughts then touched on Brandon. Writing that letter to Brandon was difficult and was one of the reasons she had decided to come back one last time to TC. She felt that the letter really wasn't fair and she had to say a proper good bye.   
  
End Of Flashback  
  
Ella closed her eyes and took another calming breath. She didn't open her eyes until she was sure that the tears would stay there, stinging behind her eyes. She held her cardigan more tightly against her and walked out of the classroom. She tried to memorize her classroom and remember the good times she had there with her great students. She closed her thoughts off when her conscience started to tell her she was being selfish by leaving. But if she didn't leave she thought she would explode at having to see Alec and Max everywhere, together. She wasn't into self torture.   
  
"Ella!" Ella turned around and saw Gem walking towards her. "Class is over already?" "Yeah, I'm not feeling too good." "Oh. Is that why you weren't here to start class?" "Yeah," Ella replied. She wasn't too good at lying and Gem was one of her good friends in TC. Ella started to walk away and Gem fell in step with her. "Maybe you don't feel well because you left TC without your jacket the other night." Ella quickly looked up and grinned. "Luke found me on his monitors?" "Yeah, this morning. Look, are you okay? You seem a little off and it isn't' because you don't 'feel well', either. Something is going on." "Nothing is going on. Not really." Ella stopped and turned to face Gem. "I got a call from my sister. She found them." Gem gasped and hugged Ella in happiness. "I'm so glad!" "Yeah…" "So, when are they coming?" Gem grinned, a little confused by Ella's somber look. "I'm actually flying back to meet them." "Oh. For how long will you be gone?" "I'm not sure." Gem frowned. "Umm, o-kay. Uh, how about Alec?" Ella looked away. "Alec's staying. I'll be going alone." And before the transgenic could ask another question, "I told him that I might be gone a while and convinced him that he ought to stay here in TC, now I'm a bit bummed." Ella prayed that Gem would swallow the lie. She felt bad but she needed to talk with Brandon before anyone else. Gem was still frowning but nodded. "Well, before you go come by and hug Hope. And don't forget to tell Mole your travel plans so he won't worry so much." Ella forced a smile. "I won't." Gem waved good bye and headed towards the Medical Bay.   
  
Ella waved back and walked away, quickly. As she neared her and Alec's building, Ella slowed down trying to think of what to say to Brandon; her little boy. She looked up, easily identifying Brandon's window, and two floors above it, hers and Alec's window. She shut her eyes tight and rushed in. She opened her eyes as she reached the lobby. It was partially empty except for some Transgenics who were coming back from a sparring workout and wanted a quick shower before reporting for duty. She nervously waved hello and headed up the stairs. She stopped at the second landing and made a right turn. The hallways were empty save for Jeremy who was knocking at a door. "Bran, it's me. Let me in." Ella must have made a noise, even though she stood perfectly still because Jeremy looked over and tried to smile at her but failed. Ella walked over and stood next to him. She put her arm around the boy and joined him in his effort to get Brandon to come out. She knocked on the door. Both she and Jeremy were met with silence. "He knows, huh?" Ella bit her lip and nodded. "I guess I'll come back later then," with that Jeremy walked down the hall and disappeared into his own bedroom.   
  
Ella turned back towards the door and knocked again. "Brandon, its Ella. Please open the door." Ella waited for a moment and was again greeted with silence. She leaned against the door and spoke to it willing Brandon to let her in. "I know I was wrong to leave you the letter and run away. I wasn't thinking and…. I …I really didn't know what to do," she pleaded. "I had my reasons and I wasn't thinking. But I'm here now. I want to apologize and explain." Nothing. "Please, Brandon?" "Okay, I understand. I'll be at the classroom if you change your mind. We'll be celebrating Jeremy's A+ on his quiz." "You missed one," she whispered at the end. She waited again and then turned from the door, her hand lingering, caressing the surface as if she was caressing his cheek. She walked to the landing. Ella was ready to walk down the stairs when she looked up at the other side of the stairs going up. Two more floors and she'd be home…Home. It was no longer her home. She took a step down when a blast of cold air blew through her from an open window behind her. She clutched at her cardigan and looked up at the other flight of stairs. She could pop in and get her jacket quickly and he really wouldn't notice. She looked at her watch. He should be at command head quarters right now, in his office. She quickly closed her eyes tight as the repressed images came flooding back. She almost changed her mind when another gust of wind enveloped her as if it was urging her up towards the stairs to go and get her jacket. 'He's not home. You can quickly get it,' she told herself. With her resolve in place she quickly ran up the steps.   
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"I love you. I've always loved you. I was just so scared and confused. I didn't know how to tell you." She whispered. "So, pushing me away and being hateful towards me was how you showed it?" He hissed. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? In case you hadn't noticed I'm in love with Ella, I had a nice life going with her." Max looked up quickly. "I know." "No, you don't! You don't! Otherwise you wouldn't have come to me while you were in heat. Do you realize what you've done to me? To Ella?" Alec got up and paced. Finally stopping in front of her, he leaned in and put both his hands on either side of her on the armchair she was sitting in, "She left me. Did you know that?" He spoke softly, his eyes never leaving hers. Max shook her head, breaking the intense contact, cringing. "But I love you," she whispered again as if the words were a shield protecting her from his fury. Alec closed his eyes and straightened up. He opened them again to look down at her, into her pleading brown eyes. "And I love Ella." Alec turned his back on her and walked away. He was trying to hold on to that because even though it was days ago, Max's pheromones were still surrounding her. Light but definitely noticeable by the transgenic she'd mated with. Max bit her lip and stood up as well. She walked the few steps to where he stood. She wanted to run into his arms and have him shout his love for her but she knew that it wouldn't happen, at least not today. He stood still, tense at the nearness of her. "I love you Alec. I love you. I know you love Ella but I know deep down inside you, you love me, too. Otherwise I wouldn't feel this strongly." She implored. "Alec, I know I hurt you all those times before. I was terrified. I've never been in love before and the sheer magnitude of it overwhelmed me. I didn't know what to do." "Alec, please! I know you still love me." Alec sighed, his once strong shoulders now bowed with guilt and resignation. She took the last two steps separating them and put her arms around his waist. He stood still in her embrace, slowly melting into her warmth. "Alec,… I could be pregnant with your child." All was silent when they heard the soft thump of the door softly bouncing off the wall. Both Max and Alec turned around to face a pale, shaking Ella. Alec pushed Max's arms way and stepped towards Ella. Ella put up her hand as if to stop him, to ward him and what she had heard, away. Alec immediately stopped, breathing hard trying to figure out if this was just all a bad nightmare, praying that it was.   
  
Ella didn't know what to do. All she could think was that 'he mustn't get close', 'he mustn't touch her'. Suddenly she gasped, letting out all the air she didn't know she was holding in. The tears threatened to pour out but with another ragged breath, they held. And to make sure that the sobs that longed to escape her lips didn't make it out, she bit her lower lip hard so that a drop of blood formed. As if the physical pain from the procurement of that drop of blood was the last straw, Ella finally moved. She fixed all her concentration on the coat hook near the door and walked towards it, turning away from the sight of Alec and Max. Her actions caused the air to move around Alec and he almost wept. This was real. She was back! She was back and….and….was leaving. Again.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ella." Ella stiffened and turned back around slowly to face the speaker. Ella stared hard at the owner of the voice. "Yeah, you are sorry, Max." "A very fucking sorry excuse for a person! But that's okay. You can have him. Maybe he'll be good for you, show you what it's like to be real." And before the tears she had fought so hard to keep from trembling down her cheeks fell she turned away only to be stopped by Alec. She looked down at his hand on her arm and looked up in to his face. "That's it?" Ella looked behind him towards Max, who was trying not to look pained at the sight of Alec holding on to her. "That's it, Alec. It's done," she whispered. "I just wanted my jacket. I forgot it," Alec continued to stare at her. She gently pried his hand off her arm. "Good luck. I hope you two make it." She wrapped her arms around her to keep from reaching out to him, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. She took one last look into his stormy green eyes, shiny from unshed tears, and walked away. She was almost out the door and Alec almost called to her when she halted. Filled with hope Alec nearly smiled, until the words spilled from her lips. "If you guys are having a child together, can I formally adopt Brandon and take him with me?" Ella turned around and faced both Max and Alec, again. "I did raise him for more than a year. I love him and he loves me. He and I consider each other family. He IS my family." She stopped for a moment. "If he wants to can he come with me?" Alec was too shocked to speak. Even though Brandon was essentially Ella's little boy what with Brandon's and Ella's history together, he, too, had come to love the boy. At first Alec loved Brandon because Ella loved the little boy. Soon though Alec regarded Brandon as his son, too, completing his 'family'. "If he wants to, he can go with you." "Max!" Alec turned to face her with anger written all over his face. "Stay out of this!" "I'm the leader of TC I am authorized to make this decision!" "You have no authority in this! He's mine and Ella's son!"  
  
"Fuck," everyone turned around to face the intruder at the open door way. Mole looked around in growing terror as he took in the faces of Ella, Max, and Alec. What he had rushed into tell Alec and Ella burned on his tongue. It was already terrifying what he had to tell the two, but with the situation he was now facing, he wished he were dead. "White has Brandon!"   
  
  
  
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Authors' Note: I wanted to update every other day but I have to confess chapter 3 isn't ready yet. My close friend has just died and still fresh from the funeral. I hope that what I have up so far is enough. I will try to work on it and post at least by next week. Sorry, guys. I'll try as hard as I can but really haven't been in the 'mood' to keep going but I do PROMISE it will be finished, just not as soon as I liked. Think of this as a traffic delay? 


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